logoalt Hacker News

jameskiltontoday at 3:19 PM3 repliesview on HN

Folks are getting dangerously attached to [political parties/candidates/news sources/social networks] that always tell them they're right.

It's really nothing new. It takes significant mental energy (a finite resource) to question what you're being told, and to do your own fact checking. Instead people by default gravitate towards echo chambers where they can feel good about being a part of a group bigger than themselves, and can spend their limited energy towards what really matters in their lives.


Replies

bluefirebrandtoday at 3:51 PM

Two things can be bad at the same time

show 1 reply
lapcattoday at 3:28 PM

> It's really nothing new.

I disagree. What's new is that this flattery is individually, personally targeted. The AI user is given the impression that they're having a back-and-forth conversation with a single trusted friend.

You don't have the same personal experience passively consuming political mass media.

show 2 replies
jayd16today at 4:09 PM

The situation is different. Those sources are people. This is a calculator AND we have the opportunity to fix it.

show 2 replies